Win 7 User Account Control

Article by Marc Liron - Microsoft MVP (Windows Desktop Experience)

The User Account Control (UAC) is a technology and security feature in Windows 7. It was first introduced in Windows Vista but has been improved in Win 7.

It aims to improve the security of Windows 7 by limiting software

to standard user privileges until an administrator authorizes an increase in privilege level.

In this way, only applications that the user trusts receive higher privileges, and malware/spyware etc should be kept from receiving the privileges necessary to compromise the users PC.

In other words, a user account may have administrator privileges assigned to it, but applications that the user runs do not also have those privileges unless they are approved beforehand or the user explicitly authorizes it to have higher privileges.

I hear a lot of complaints about UAC, and whilst it is not a perfect solution IT DOES help prevent rogue software installing on your PC. And for the average home user this is extremely helpful.

DON'T turn it off!

They may seem like a pain at times but the UAC is there for your protection and they only appear when an installation is taking place or a system resource needs to be accessed. NOT something you do every day... 

User Access Control - UAC

Lets look at UAC in a bit more detail.

When your permission or password is needed to complete a task, UAC will notify you with one of four different types of dialog boxes.

Here is an example:

 

Fig 1.0 - User Action Control in Action

What is happening here is that after downloading a legitimate program called Silverlight from Microsoft as soon as it tries to install - the UAC comes into action with a warning!

In this example I am happy to go ahead and click YES as I trust the software.



There are FOUR scenarios when a UAC activates:

Each one of the four UAC windows has its own ICON do denote the severity of the warning.

List next are the four types of UAC. 

 

A setting or feature that IS part of Windows 7.

A program that is NOT part of Windows 7  - but has a valid digital signature that is trusted by Windows 7

A program with an UNKOWN publisher  - this is an application that does NOT have a digital signature - hover that does not specifically mean that is is harmful. It just means you need to trust the application you are about to install. If this UAC warning suddenly appears on your screen without you aware you are trying to install an application then it is probably NOT something you want to be installed!

This program has been blocked  - this is a rare UAC warning but when it does appear click the NO button right away and perform a complete scan of your system with an up to date anti virus/anti spyware package! It suggests you have an infection of some kind on your PC.

Switch off UAC?

In Windows 7 it is possible to modify the "sensitivity" of the User Account Control settings. (In Windows Vista you could only turn it ON or OFF.)

To change the default User Access Control UAC settings simply go to:

START > Control Panel > User Accounts > (Select the account) > Change User Account Settings.

 

Fig 1.1 - User Access Control Settings

[+] Click here for larger image

 

And there you have it.... a quick overview of the User Access Control (UAC) in Windows 7...